As was her habit, Lys Black sat in her usual corner, flipping open her textbook as she waited for the professor to start the lesson. Disappointment, however, was an unwelcome guest in her mind.
She had poured hours into reading and practicing spells, yet her efforts were fruitless. Even the unconventional approach she had tried ended in failure.
Had she added too much sunlight orchid during the brewing process? Or was it because she had taken the potion too soon after the magical stabilizer? How on earth had she managed to get Cheering Potion poisoning?
Two days of chaos, and she still hadn't mastered the Patronus Charm.
She clicked her tongue in frustration but found some solace in the fact that, even during her brief bout of madness, Gaboon had been well cared for. Its belly was so full it looked ready to burst. Perhaps a trip to the hospital wing for some digestive potion was in order.
As she patted Gaboon's head, something caught her attention—a collar wrapped around what could loosely be called its neck. Wait...
A collar? Who in their right mind would put a collar on a snake?
Lys quickly removed the item, discovering it was intricately adorned with tiny, sparkling crystals. She brought it to her nose and sniffed—a faint scent of magical rose essence lingered. Where had she even gotten this?
Slipping the collar into her bag, Lys realized she had developed an unexpected fondness for shiny things. Just looking at them seemed to lift her spirits.
As students filed into the classroom, each one glanced her way, their attempts to stifle laughter painfully obvious. Unease began to creep into Lys's mind. What had she done during those chaotic two days? Why were they all looking at her like that?
When the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor entered the room, carrying a cage, the memories came flooding back.
Last class. Same seat. Same professor. Same cage. As the professor released dark sprites and redcaps one by one for the students to observe, she had loudly—and rather boldly—criticized his methods.
"Redcaps thrive in dark forests and swamps, preying on fear and launching illusionary attacks. Professor, releasing them like this doesn't reflect their true threat. What happens when these students face a real attack?"
Remembering it now, Lys felt a pang of secondhand embarrassment. She had even gone so far as to project an image from her experimental notes, depicting the grim consequences of being caught off guard. "If we're attacked and can't respond, this is what we'll become," she had said, her voice tinged with a strange mix of detachment and bewilderment. "But what should we do, Professor? Shouldn't you be teaching us how to deal with these creatures? Stop acting like a useless lump and show us some real expertise! Professor Flitwick said you were an expert!" The bell had mercifully rung moments later, leaving the professor too stunned to respond.
Now, the aftermath of her outburst fell squarely on her more rational self to handle.
Lys shrank into her seat, wishing desperately that everyone in the room, especially the professor at the front, would suddenly go blind.
"Oh, Black, I see your Cheering Potion poisoning has cleared up. Madam Pomfrey truly is a miracle worker," the professor remarked, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
The lesson continued as usual until, fifteen minutes before the end of class, the professor abruptly paused.
"I must admit, to some extent, Miss Black raised a valid point. Indeed, there are times when a wizard's safety is at risk from various dangers, particularly during travel. I believe my predecessor in this position is still a resident at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries."
"With that in mind, I'd like to take a few moments to share some knowledge that isn't included in the standard curriculum. My hope, of course, is that you'll never have to use it."
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